Josep Guardiola started his press conference simply. “Good evening, first I congratulate Madrid for the victory and the league title they have achieved.” Despite losing the game against Madrid (1-2), Guardiola believes that his team played a good match. “It’s difficult to do an analysis of the match after so many emotions, but I have the impression that we played a good game against a powerful team. We controlled their counterattacks well and they didn’t create a lot of danger.” The manager admitted that the defeat means that Barça are no longer in the running for the league title this season: “a competition that we’ve fought for has slipped away.”

He regretted that “in this great stadium and with so many people, with the desire to do well we have lost.”

Guardiola also pointed out the good level of his side in the past couple of years and the collective attitude of not giving up: “this dignifies them. They are unique.”

“There are very few things I can blame on the team. We’ve been on this path for a long time. We had a lot of pressure on us starting in August and we haven’t stopped,” said the FC Barcelona coach. He added that “we can’t expect to always be up to the standard, but it’s a pity that we faltered in the decisive moment.” Despite 1-2 being the final score in the latest El Clasico, Guardiola believes that “we gave it our all and because of that these players know that they have me.”

Right after the game the manager explained that he “will talk to my players later when things have calmed down, we’ll focus on next week – which means we have to focus on Chelsea.” The biggest challenge for Guardiola right now it to “recuperate the players for Tuesday[...]we hope to recover well and play the game against Chelsea.” 

Source: fcbarcelona.cat; Photo credit:  LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images